The Knowledge to Decide

Successful rebranding involves restoring a brand’s overall goal, message and culture – not just a logo or name change. It means connecting with consumers. But do all rebranding exercises bring the desired results? Or can they go horribly wrong? Branding and rebranding can be a very tricky business. Brands distinguish a company for who they are and convey value to customers. But when a brand’s value proposition, personality and values no longer align with their vision, function and purpose; it prompts a marketing message realignment or rebranding. A successful rebranding can refresh, renew and improve customer’s sentiments towards the company. But rebranding can also become a costly affair if it fails to re-build that all-important emotional connection with customers. Some implications of unsuccessful rebranding include: High level of expenditure Rebranding burns up a great deal of money and energy. And reversing an unsuccessful rebranding cost even more. In 2010, Gap att

Consumers today are spoilt for choice. To win them over, brands need to deliver real-time customized experiences. New technologies and techniques are allowing them to do just that. Consumers today are extremely brand savvy. With access to various media platforms to conduct research, compare prices and ultimately purchase products, consumers favour brands that deliver experiences that suit their needs in the present moment. Consumers have begun to recalibrate what is expected from their media, stores and brands – demanding real-time personalized information every step of the way. What is real-time marketing? Real time marketing is defined as using apt communication tools to provide a more profound yet personalized consumer experience and information – at the right time and place – so as to address a consumer’s needs with accuracy. This is a component of Present Tense Marketing, which concentrates on ways of understanding consumers’ current situation for a personalized experie

Mobile business in India has never been better. According to studies, Micromax, Lava and Intex – prominent Indian smartphone brands – expect a whopping 100% year-on-year revenue growth from 2015 to March 2016 due to surge in smartphone sales and rising average sale prices. Moreover, the rise of Made-in-India brands such as Micromax, Karbonn, Lava and Zen are taking the smartphone market in India by storm as they emerge as the top five smartphone brands across the nation. For instance, Micromax expects a 50% growth in sales from INR10,949 crore in 2014. Catering to the whims of consumers who now demand cost-effective models with high-end features, market players are making a beeline for India’s market. Will Indian handset manufacturers be able to compete against global, established players? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/made-in-india-handset-market-continues-to-grow/

Healthy eating has emerged as something of a luxury in emerging markets. In contrast, the cost of junk food continues to decrease; encouraging consumers to binge more. According to a recent study, the cost of fruits and vegetables rose by 91% in the last two decades. The cost of processed foods instead fell by a fifth in emerging markets such as Brazil, China, South Korea and Mexico from 1990 to 2012. Lower prices encourage consumers to adopt unhealthy eating habits. Hence, obesity has become the new face of poverty. Conditions such as blood sugar spikes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure as well as bloating are some of the health conditions that result from an unhealthy diet. Is the solution increased subsidies for fresh fruit and vegetables financed by a tax on junk food? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/healthy-eating-getting-more-expensive-junk-food-getting-cheaper/

With Indonesian consumers increasingly using mobile wallets for payments, E-money transactions have ballooned from 2.6 million in 2008 to a record 203.4 million in 2014. Recognizing the growth potential, the Third Annual Mobile Wallet Conference 2015 gathered industry leaders and government officials to discuss stake-holder responses to key industry trends. Spire’s Deputy CEO Jeffrey Bahar addressed the conference. Jeffrey Bahar, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Spire Research and Consulting group, was honored to be invited as a guest speaker at the Third Annual Mobile Wallet Conference held in Jakarta, Indonesia from 18 – 21 August 2015. In his presentation, Bahar spoke about Indonesia’s advancing mobile money industry with focus on four key growth sectors – namely service providers, instruments (mode of service), financial regulatory authorities and services. To describe the growth curve of mobile wallets, Bahar shared a brief overview on how banking institutions and m

Banks in Asia now offer cardless ATM withdrawals, enabling consumers to access their money with only a mobile phone. This is seen as providing not only increased customer value but also brand differentiation. Jeffrey Bahar, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Spire Research and Consulting, was invited to share his observations on Asia leading the way in cardless ATM withdrawals. UOB was the first bank in Singapore to offer Mobile Cash – a method of retrieving money without the need for an ATM card. Now, consumers can go to the ATM and top up their pre-paid cards with mobile cash. Subsequently, they access the internet via their mobile device and use that money to perform transactions online. In Malaysia, Maybank was the first bank to offer a similar feature. A PIN would be sent to the recipients’ phone as an SMS, and it would be used to withdraw funds at an ATM. CIMB Niaga launched a service called “Rekening Ponsel” in Indonesia; allowing consumers to use banking services w

Indonesia’s mobile phone market is poised for growth. With the advent of smartphones and 4G Technology, how will service operators continue to lure customers? Aditya Teja, Senior Manager, Client Service (Telecommunication) of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his insights on MNC Business Channel – Economic Buzz. Indonesia’s mobile phone market holds immense potential with approximately 310 million subscribers recorded in 2013. There are a total of 10 service operators in Indonesia at present; with Telkomsel leading the way, followed by Indosat and XL Axiata. At present, the market is segmented by varying consumer concerns on benefits and bonuses, rather than price wars. With the advent of 4G Technology, service operators foresee faster and improved quality connections to come; with voice, SMS and data remaining as the main sources of revenue. On the other hand, the telecommunication industry also lends support to other industries such as banking, multimedia and health

The recent spate of health scandals is encouraging Asian consumers to turn to natural, organic and herbal remedies in health and beauty. In 2013, 90% of urban female consumers in China preferred products made with natural ingredients. Furthermore, they are placing more trust in local products, due to the familiarity of Asian philosophies linked with balance and harmony. Greater awareness of environmental and  food -borne toxins is also prompting Asian consumers to turn to natural and traditional health & wellness remedies. For instance in 2013, cosmetics brand Sulwhasoo launched a series of products in Malaysia that were formulated according to Korean philosophies of Sangseng; aimed at promoting harmony between body and mind. Are Asian consumers going back to the past and driving a niche market in wellness herbal remedies? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/asian-consumers-are-turning-back-to-natural-and-ancient-ingredients/